Ghost In The Shell

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a game by THQ
Genre: Action
Platforms: Playstation, PSX
Editor Rating: 6.6/10, based on 5 reviews, 6 reviews are shown
User Rating: 9.2/10 - 5 votes
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See also: Anime Games, Manga Games, First Person Shooter Games, Third-Person Shooter Games, Cyberpunk Games, Ghost Games
Ghost In The Shell
Ghost In The Shell
Ghost In The Shell
Ghost In The Shell

Based on the highly successful Japanese anime by Mamoru Oshii (as well as the manga which is published in the U.S. by Dark Horse comics). Ghost in the Shell is the latest movie-to-game translation to grace the home gaming scene.

Developed by Exact, the company responsible for Sony's Jumping Flash! games. Ghost in the Shell (the game) takes place in the not-too-distant future, where technology has run wild and man and machine have essentially become one. You play the role of a young female cyborg cop named Motoko Kusanagi, who pilots a miniature mechanized tank (known as a Fukochima) with her cybernetic consciousness. If you've seen the movie you'll know what we're talking about; if not we recommend renting it.

There are 12 stages in Ghost in the Shell, broken up with anime cut scenes and computer-rendered mission-briefing scenes (just like in the movie). Speaking of anime. there's over 10 minutes of entirely new (and exceptionally high-quality) animation that wasn't present in the movie. And once you've seen a particular scene, you can rematch it at any time with the game's Movie Replay option.

Gameplay is sort of a cross between Doom and Epidemic, but with much more of an exploratory element to play. Your mech can perform all the basic functions-forward and backward movement, left and right strafing and so on. but it can also climb walls and even walk on ceilings (like a spider). Weapons are somewhat limited-you've got just a machine gun. homing missiles and grenades-but you do have an infinite amount of the first two. so twitch-shooting fans need not worry (grenades, unfortunately, are limited and must be restocked). Analog control is supported as well, although the vibrating feature (which works surprisingly well with the Japanese version of this game) will not be present in the U.S. one.

There are two separate camera angles you can choose from during play (inside and outside), and when the action gets intense, the game will automatically switch over to the first-person view so as not to hinder your viewpoint from behind the mech (a nice touch). There's even a Training Mode for you to get accustomed to controlling your mech, and depending on how well you do in training (you get ranked), you'll get to view a cute animation sequence afterward.

The version being previewed is still completely in Japanese, so there's no telling how the voice acting will be. but THQ has assured us that the final release will feature the voices of the actors and actresses who did the voice-overs for the movie.

  • MANUFACTURER - THQ
  • THEME - Action
  • NUMBER OF PLAYERS - 1

Download Ghost In The Shell

Playstation

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
PSX

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP

Game Reviews

Based on the popular Japanese anime and comic book, Ghost in the Shell debuts as a 3D action-shooter on the PlayStation. Playing as a tough cyborg cop who controls a one-man tank called a Fuko-chima, you must battle evil high-tech forces that threaten the world. Highlights include the ability to climb on the walls of buildings and move upside down on ceilings, as well as 10 minutes of original Japanese animation inserted throughout the 12 levels.

Overview

The popular Japanese film and comic Ghost in the Shell is now a fast paced shooter for PSX. I will have to admit that I am not a fan of Japanese anime, so I don't know anything other than what the manual tells me. Apparently Ghost in the Shell is big time.

The story has you playing as a new recruit of the Public Security Bureau. You have passed all the tests with flying colors so you have been selected to have your brain wired. Why, you ask? Because you will have a Unified Sense and Fuchikoma device wired into your system. What is a Fuchikoma, you ask? It is an armored attack vehicle that is wired directly into your brain that you will ride around inside giving all of the commands as if it were an extension to your body. This is your vehicle to stopping crime and believe me, it ain't easy.

Gameplay

Like I said, I am not a fan of Japanese comics so the story did not really matter much to me. For people who are fans of this series, you will be pleasantly entertained with a fairly long and well-drawn intro sequence. We all know that spectacular intros have grown to become common on the PSX, but this one shines even more that the standard. Also, you will have the pleasure of viewing cut scenes throughout the game, so fans should get their fill.

Since I couldn't care less about the story and all, I was only interested in the gameplay. I quickly found that you don't need to know or understand any of the background to play the game. What we have here is basically an old school shooter in a next-generation environment. The game has a natural feel to it that will allow most gamers to pick up a controller and start blasting enemies in a matter of minutes. But blasting enemies is not your only objective, and it will take you a little longer to figure out the strategy of advancing through these objectives.

The structure of the game is mission-based and you're thrown into twelve different locales, each with a unique mission that needs to be accomplished before moving to the next mission. Some of the missions involve just finding an exit, while others have you racing against a clock to dispose of bombs before they dispose of you. Once you complete the mission, you are usually faced with a giant boss meanie that is a pain in the butt to kill. Most of the bosses did have a semi-regular pattern, making them somewhat easier to kill, but they were still very difficult. The frustrating thing about the bosses is that they came at the end of the level and if you died, you had to go through the whole level again to get another shot defeating the boss. On some levels, it got to the point where I could bust through the level with my eyes closed just to get to the boss. Other levels had me ripping out my hair just to make it through the level again, only to die quickly at the hands of the boss.

The one thing that adds a touch of originality to the game is called a Fuchikoma. This is your means of travel throughout the game. It resembles a beetle or some sort of bug and gives you the ability to climb anything. You can walk up walls, walk upside down on ceilings, and just about anywhere in between. That means that you can seek sanctuary on roof tops and walls. This added a whole new element to a shooting game. There were times however that this became a bit of a pain because it was difficult to get your orientation. There were times that you end up upside down and not be able to tell exactly what was going on.

Your Fuchikoma is armored and has some weaponry for you to use. It had standard machine gun type guns, but if you held down the machine gun button, it would switch to a lock-on missile. When heated up, the missile would lock onto a target and it would self-guide to the target. If you hold it for too long, you will lose the lock and have to recharge it. This weapon could be used as often as you liked. You could also find grenades you found throughout the mission. These were the most powerful weapons, and I would usually save them until I reached the boss at the end of the level. Your Fuchikoma was only capable of carrying 3 grenades at a time. This sucked because 3 grenades will barely put a dent in the bosses armor.

I really did not have any major complaints about this game. I will caution on the difficulty level, because I think that some unseasoned gamers may find it a bit frustrating, especially when they must battle the bosses. The levels get progressively more difficult, but you will usually have the opportunity to master them: you die at the bosses so many times that you will have to work your way through the entire level again and again to get another shot at the boss. I got to the point on some levels that I would just bust to the end, ignoring everything else on the level, just to try and defeat the boss. Save points before the boss would've been nice.

Graphics

From the opening cinematics to the in-game graphics, Ghost in the Shell does a great job. During gameplay, you had an auto-switching camera that you pull back behind you so you played from the third-person perspective. When things would happen in a tight area, the camera would zoom up to a first-person perspective. This felt very natural and worked well. Also, the gameplay environments all looked realistic. I never once found myself wondering what something was. It was always quite clear.

Bottom Line

This is a pretty good game. It is not the best game of all time, but it was also not bad by any means. I threw my controller at the ground more than once, which means that I had to be enjoying myself. I think the difficulty of the bosses will keep some people from making it too far into the game, but seasoned veterans will be adequately challenged. I really liked the added dimension of being able to climb the walls. Shooter fans should enjoy it, but I recommend a rental for everyone else to determine if this game is for you.

Based on last year's chart-storming release by artist Masamune Shurow, Ghost in the Shell allows players a first-person view of a realtime 3-D world where enemies lurk around every corner. Although it is primarily an action title, there are plenty of adventure elements as well as cool weapons and radar to keep track of those invading enemies. Look for more on Gaits in upcoming issues.

  • MANUFACTURER - THQ
  • THEME - First-Person
  • NUMBER OF PLAYERS - 1

Overview

The popular Japanese film and comic Ghost in the Shell is now a fast paced shooter for PSX. I will have to admit that I am not a fan of Japanese anime, so I don't know anything other than what the manual tells me. Apparently Ghost in the Shell is big time.

The story has you playing as a new recruit of the Public Security Bureau. You have passed all the tests with flying colors so you have been selected to have your brain wired. Why, you ask? Because you will have a Unified Sense and Fuchikoma device wired into your system. What is a Fuchikoma, you ask? It is an armored attack vehicle that is wired directly into your brain that you will ride around inside giving all of the commands as if it were an extension to your body. This is your vehicle to stopping crime and believe me, it ain't easy.

Gameplay

Like I said, I am not a fan of Japanese comics so the story did not really matter much to me. For people who are fans of this series, you will be pleasantly entertained with a fairly long and well-drawn intro sequence. We all know that spectacular intros have grown to become common on the PSX, but this one shines even more that the standard. Also, you will have the pleasure of viewing cut scenes throughout the game, so fans should get their fill.

Since I couldn't care less about the story and all, I was only interested in the gameplay. I quickly found that you don't need to know or understand any of the background to play the game. What we have here is basically an old school shooter in a next-generation environment. The game has a natural feel to it that will allow most gamers to pick up a controller and start blasting enemies in a matter of minutes. But blasting enemies is not your only objective, and it will take you a little longer to figure out the strategy of advancing through these objectives.

The structure of the game is mission-based and you're thrown into twelve different locales, each with a unique mission that needs to be accomplished before moving to the next mission. Some of the missions involve just finding an exit, while others have you racing against a clock to dispose of bombs before they dispose of you. Once you complete the mission, you are usually faced with a giant boss meanie that is a pain in the butt to kill. Most of the bosses did have a semi-regular pattern, making them somewhat easier to kill, but they were still very difficult. The frustrating thing about the bosses is that they came at the end of the level and if you died, you had to go through the whole level again to get another shot defeating the boss. On some levels, it got to the point where I could bust through the level with my eyes closed just to get to the boss. Other levels had me ripping out my hair just to make it through the level again, only to die quickly at the hands of the boss.

The one thing that adds a touch of originality to the game is called a Fuchikoma. This is your means of travel throughout the game. It resembles a beetle or some sort of bug and gives you the ability to climb anything. You can walk up walls, walk upside down on ceilings, and just about anywhere in between. That means that you can seek sanctuary on roof tops and walls. This added a whole new element to a shooting game. There were times however that this became a bit of a pain because it was difficult to get your orientation. There were times that you end up upside down and not be able to tell exactly what was going on.

Your Fuchikoma is armored and has some weaponry for you to use. It had standard machine gun type guns, but if you held down the machine gun button, it would switch to a lock-on missile. When heated up, the missile would lock onto a target and it would self-guide to the target. If you hold it for too long, you will lose the lock and have to recharge it. This weapon could be used as often as you liked. You could also find grenades you found throughout the mission. These were the most powerful weapons, and I would usually save them until I reached the boss at the end of the level. Your Fuchikoma was only capable of carrying 3 grenades at a time. This sucked because 3 grenades will barely put a dent in the bosses armor.

I really did not have any major complaints about this game. I will caution on the difficulty level, because I think that some unseasoned gamers may find it a bit frustrating, especially when they must battle the bosses. The levels get progressively more difficult, but you will usually have the opportunity to master them: you die at the bosses so many times that you will have to work your way through the entire level again and again to get another shot at the boss. I got to the point on some levels that I would just bust to the end, ignoring everything else on the level, just to try and defeat the boss. Save points before the boss would've been nice.

Graphics

From the opening cinematics to the in-game graphics, Ghost in the Shell does a great job. During gameplay, you had an auto-switching camera that you pull back behind you so you played from the third-person perspective. When things would happen in a tight area, the camera would zoom up to a first-person perspective. This felt very natural and worked well. Also, the gameplay environments all looked realistic. I never once found myself wondering what something was. It was always quite clear.

Bottom Line

This is a pretty good game. It is not the best game of all time, but it was also not bad by any means. I threw my controller at the ground more than once, which means that I had to be enjoying myself. I think the difficulty of the bosses will keep some people from making it too far into the game, but seasoned veterans will be adequately challenged. I really liked the added dimension of being able to climb the walls. Shooter fans should enjoy it, but I recommend a rental for everyone else to determine if this game is for you.

The Japanese anime cult film Ghost in the Shell has achieved a legendary following and turned millions of Americans into manga fans. T-HQ has developed a game that shares the film's title, but unfortunately doesn't do it justice.

Ghost is mainly a tank simulation with a few twists. You pilot a beetle-shaped tank against a variety of adversaries, which range from helicopters to spider-like machines, all in a fully 3D environment. Armed with machine guns, grenades, and absolutely no backup, you must blast your way through each mission in the 12 levels.

One of the most disorienting yet appealing elements of Ghost is the way your tank moves. You can climb straight up walls and across ceilings like a robotic version of Spider-Man. Mastering this skill without losing your perspective is crucial to getting through each level in one piece.

Ghost movie fans will certainly find this experience a ghost of its former self. The cinemas at the opening of the game and between each level are stunning; however, the game graphics, particularly buildings and enemies, are lackluster at best. The sound effects are bland, and there are no weapon power-ups to be found. Put that all together and you get a very generic game.

Ghost in the Shell, taken for what it is, is a decent 3D shooter with a few twists. Unfortunately, those looking for a true video-game depiction of the film will be sadly disappointed.

ProTips:

  • At times you need to find a slightly unorthodox vantage point to take out an enemy easily.
  • Green dots on your radar indicate an item is nearby, so take advantage of it!

Snapshots and Media

Playstation Screenshots